Construction exec in meat plant scandal released from prison
Cawood was an executive at The Facility Group of Smyrna, Ga. The company managed the beef plant's construction. Prosecutors said that Facility executives first raised $70,000 for former Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. When it became clear there were problems with the plant, Cawood and Robert Moultrie, Facility Group's former chairman and chief executive, talked about giving Musgrove another $25,000 to influence and reward him "should his assistance be needed on the potential problems with the project," court records said. Moultrie was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
In asking for his early release from supervision, Cawood’s attorney said that he was a model prisoner and has held good jobs since his release. He is now a vice rpesident for Fifth Street Management, a real estate management company in Atlanta.